NOV 26, 2013 ROTARY IN REVIEW:
Don Ball, Coworking & Collaborative Space
As noted by President Jim Kosmo, a well-attended Tuesday meeting in the lower level of the Crowne Plaza will next convene on the top floor of the hotel for the December 5 Holiday Party. The stacked calendars of the holidays mean no Thursday fellowship breakfast meeting this week and no Tuesday meeting next week. Michael-jon Pease requested we all use this time to reserve space at the December 5th event, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Jim Field and the Mouldy Figs will provide music of the season.
Past president Chuck Field led the group in singing America, accompanied by Leon Goodrich on the piano. The invocation was given by past president Blake Davis.
Nancy McPhillips introduced Rotarian guests: Mike Franklin brought a new associate of Weber Johnson to the meeting. Clyde Nelson brought Tom Hawken from the Microsoft Consulting Group. Clyde met Tom, who comes from a long line of Rotarians, through the Boy Scouts and Feed My Starving Children. Saint Paul #10, might consider this a first glance at a new member.
President Jim made a quick mention of Foundation Month and its requests for support at both the local and international level. He reminded us of the double-points available through the end of December when donating to the Paul Harris Foundation (courtesy of Carole Kralicek). Jim continued company business with a description of the changes and upcoming changes at the Executive and Admin Councils.
Fur coats, jewels, enough wine for a year, something from Hershey PA, Jamesons and cigars, and theater tickets….just some of the items that will be offered at the silent auction that will underscore the Rotary party December 5 said Michael-Jon. One hundred are in place for the event and MJP expects at least 50 more. Are you coming?
John Andrews presented the slate of officers and directors for 2014-2015. Ballots will be going out in the mail shortly. The election will take place on December 17.
Scott Howard, took a “hands-up” straw poll and demonstrated to all that we’ve all got the skill required for bell ringing. We’re urged to participate…to help…And if successful enough Scott thinks he can get Tom Farnham to sing “Jingle-Bell Rock” at an upcoming meeting. Geoff Kauffman illustrated that less work with comparable benefit is available to those interested in sitting in a comfy chair giving blood. A Club 10 drive is established for December 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza). For those who can’t make it there, there will be “12 hours of giving event” set up through the Red Cross at the PROM CENTER. The blood needs during the holidays are high. All ringers and blood donors can sign up on line or with Sherry.
Youth Exchange student Andres Garcia was introduced by Linda Mulhern…and we were shown the blue skies of Colombia and a sizeable, beautiful family. His studies at Central High School progress nicely. Linda takes over as host Mom in a couple of weeks.
The Speaker of the Day was introduced by Jay Pfaender of the Drake Bank. Coco’s business is creating “co-working and collaborative spaces” and was one of the few “street level” businesses to thrive during the rail renovations of downtown Saint Paul.
Shared resources for start-ups was the concept….innovative and unique collaborations between smart individuals has been the result. Moving the youthful brains out of the café setting to the collaborative environments designed by Coco has been both a surprise and a national success story. Memberships buy time and infrastructure for young entrepreneurs. Avoiding capital costs, workers get to follow “their own big idea” to the right next place, and do so within an environment that may be as specialized, forward thinking and new as they are.
Co-founder Don Ball calls himself a social instigator, and like many of his “customers,” never quite fit in with proper society. Ball’s mission is to “house and care” for the people who are innovators, independent thinkers and people trying to take this new 21st Century world into a “road less travelled”… Coco is an incubator for entrepreneurial drive, focus and opportunity. Coco is riding the current, “start-up revolution.”
Moreover his success has created opportunities for major corporations with workforce and footprint challenges. Major corporations have reduced cubicle square footage devoted to single employees by about half in the last 15 years, and like AT&T which aims to reduce its on-the-ground size by 30% in coming years, and collaborative work spaces and job sharing is how they will do it. Other major corporations are fans and locally Taylor Corp and Healthcare MN have established collaborative worker “hubs” based on co-working and collaborative space program designed for them by Coco….And they have found these new environments successful for drawing young, skilled, and interesting workers. Contingent workers are expected to represent about 40% of the US workforce by 2020.
Coco’s two spaces…are gorgeous…one opposite Union Station in Saint Paul, and another in the Minneapolis Grain Exchange building…have given them national profile. Noticed by the Mayor Chris Coleman, and as a result, visited by executives from Google….(And quickly afterwards with the backing and support of Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt)…Coco has co-developed a new concept in entrepreneur training and incubation, “Google 4 Entrepreneurs” and delivered it to over 5,000 individuals in the Twin Cities since February. Small entrepreneurs are successful at growing their own success stories….Don noted one small company creating mobile Realty apps that started two years ago as a 3-person team and now stands at 10.
Following this presentation, President Jim wrapped up the meeting with the presentation of the Service Above Self Award (the Mark Weber Award) to Jay Pfaender whose tireless work in retirement has led to a strong program of presenters in the last year.
See you all on December 5th on the top floor of the Crowne Plaza.
Jonathan Strickland
Scribe